Mahaprabhu’s Charan Paduka arrive in Vrindavan

Vrindavan, 2016.08.20 (VT): It was ecstatic moment for the devotees to see Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Charan Paduka in Vrindavan. Tears of joy rolled down their eyes to have the darshan of the wooden sandals that were once worn by their Lord.

In the context of celebrations commemorating the 500th year of Shriman Chaitanya Mahaprahu’s visit to Vrindavan, the wooden sandals He used arrived in Vrindavan on Friday amid tight security. The Paduka was given shelter in the Haribol Kutir, situated in front of the new Madan Mohan Temple. It was there that devotees came to have darshan and to worship this holy relic.

The wooden sandals, adored by millions of devotees, were brought by airplane from Nabadweep, the birth place of Lord Chaitanya, to Delhi, and then to Vrindavan by car. After staying the night at the ashram, the Paduka were ceremonially taken to Jatipura in Govardhan for Giriraj darshan on Saturday, early in the morning. There, followers of Chaitanya from Radha Kund and Govardhan welcomed them by showering flowers. They were then brought back to Vrindavan at 2 p.m.

News of the Paduka’s arrival in Vrindavan spread among the devotees. They started to gather outside the Haribol Kutir to have a glimpse of the sacred shoes. They stood in a queue and patiently waited for their turn for worship and making offerings.

Then the paduka were taken for Nagar Parikrama and Saptadevalaya darshan. A grand procession of Nagar Sankirtan started at 4 p.m, in which many sants, mahants, acharyas and bhaktas participated. The devotees were chanting and dancing in the procession. When it reached the temples, the sevaits of each temple welcomed the the paduka and the devotees with devotion by performing arati.

The atmosphere was filled with the blissful sound of conch, bell and mridanga. The Nagar Sankirtan also went to Shringar Vat and Imlitala.

According to Shri Pitambar Das, Mahant of Haribol Kutir, “Keeping in view of the celebration of Mahaprabhu’s arrival in Vrindavan 500 years ago, we appealed to the Kolkata High Court to grant permission to bring the Paduka here.”

“The High Court agreed that this is an emotional issue for the devotees and that there was no better way to commemorate the event, the judges granted permission under the condition that there by very tight security,” added the Mahant.

Shri Sanatan Kishor Goswami, Sevait of the Madan Mohan temple said, “There couldn’t have been a better occasion than this special celebration of Mahaprabhu’s coming to Vrindavan 500 years ago to bring the Paduka. We would have hoped they could stay until Kartik Purnima, which is the actual He arrived in Vrindavan. We shall miss them on that day.”

They will travel back to Shri Nabadweep Dham on 21st August, at 4 p.m.